Cervical traction device

ABSTRACT

A TRACTION DEVICE SUPPORTED ON THE SHOULDERS OF A PERSON AND SURROUNDING THE HEAD FOR IMMOBOLIZING AN SUPPORTING THE SAME IN CONNECTION WITH CERVICAL DEFECTS. SHOULDER SADDLES AMOUNT A SUPPORTING ARCH FROM WHICH CHIN AND NECK SUSPENSION LOOPS ARE PIVOTALLY SUSPENDED. ADJUSTMENT OF SUSPENSION LOOPS AND SUSPENSION POINT LOCATIONS AS WELL AS THE POSITION OF THE ARCH OF THE SHOULDER SADDLES, ACCOMMODTES VARIATIONS IN SIZE AND PROPORTIONS OF DIFFERENT PERSONS.

Sept. 20, 1971 5 5 D'AMICQ ETAL 3,605,736

CERVICAL TRACTION DEVICE Filed Feb. 18, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet l Saba/Ina 5. DAm/co Ben/fa Tina Ohm/co INVIz'N'I'OKS Sept. 20, 197] 5 5 D'AMICQ ETAL CERVICAL TRACTION DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Feb. 18, 1969 S 4 K m ...i.:.fir3 3 @m m M 4 mm m A g awm M v a a x s m I 2 E M T M M m m w m m 5 B w United States Patent Ofice 3,605,736 Patented Sept. 20, 1971 3,605,736 CERVICAL TRACTION DEVICE Sabatino S. DAmico, 17 Lewis Lane, Port Washington, N .Y. 11050, and Benito Tino DAmico, Via Venturini, Fano, Pesaro, Italy Filed Feb. 18, 1969, Ser. No. 800,134 Int. Cl. A61h 1/02 US. Cl. 128--75 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A traction device supported on the shoulders of a person and surrounding the head for immobilizing and supporting the same in connection with cervical defects. Shoulder saddles mount a SuppOrting arch from which chin and neck suspension loops are pivotally suspended. Adjustment of suspension loops and suspension point locations as well as the position of the arch on the shoulder saddles, accommodates variations in size and proportions of different persons.

This invention relates to orthopedic traction devices and more particularly to a traction device for alleviating pain due to cervical defects or disorders.

Cervical traction is often required to correct disorders as well as to alleviate pain in connection with cervical rachitis including disorders involving cervical fractures, inflammations of vertebral and cervical bodies, cervical arthrosis, cervical arthritis, etc. These conditions often require hospitalization of the patient in order to immobilize the head utilizing traction equipment available only at the hospital.

An important object of the present invention therefore is to provide a traction apparatus adjustable for use by patients of different sizes and proportions and capable of being used by the patient alone outside of the hospital to thereby avoid the inconvenience and financial burden of hospitalization.

In accordance with the present invention, the traction device includes a pair of shoulder saddles having rear overlapping portions extending across the back of the patient below the neck. A relatively rigid arch having base portions adjustably secured to the saddles surrounds the head of the patient and provides means for pivotally suspending a pair of flexible loop supports engaging the chin and the back of the head of the patient forwardly of and rearwardly of the supporting arch. The supporting arch is adjustably mounted in an upright position of the saddles by spaced wing nut fasteners between which orthopedic straps may be clamped to hold the shoulder saddles on the body of the patient. The flexible chin and head supports are suspended by flexible loops of adjustable length, the loops extending through hooks mounted in adjustably spaced relation on the support arch laterally of the head of the patient.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the traction apparatus of the present invention shown applied to a patient.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the traction apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the traction apparatus.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 4-4 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial perspective view showing the base portion of the supporting arch.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 66 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 7-7 in FIG. 2.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the traction apparatus generally referred to by reference numeral 10 is shown installed on a patient in FIGS. 1 and 2 and includes a pair of shoulder saddles 12 and 14 adapted to be firmly held on the body of the patient by conventional orthopedic straps 16. Each of the shoulder saddles includes a front portion 18 and curves rearwardly over the corresponding shoulder and laterally into a rear overlapping portion 20 so as to extend across the back of the patient, below the neck. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the rear portiOn 20 of one of the shoulder saddles 14 is adapted to lie on top of the rear portion of the other shoulder saddle and is provided with a pair of horizontal adjustment slots 22 through which a pair of fastener assemblies 24 secured through the under rear portion extend in order to secure the shoulder saddles to each other in adjustable overlapped relation for accommodating a particular patient.

As more clearly seen in FIG. 6, each of the fastener assemblies 24 may include an internally threaded tubular portion 26 which is mounted by the rear portion 20 of the shoulder saddle 12. The tubular portion 26 extends through one 20 of the adjustment slots 22 and threadedly receives a screw member 28 so as to clamp the overlapping rear portions of the shoulder saddles to each other. A washer 30 may be positioned on the tubular portion 26 between the rear overlapping portions as shown in FIG. 6. It will also be observed that each of the shoulder saddles may be made of a foam rubber body 32 adapted to lie in contact with the body of the patient to avoid bruising. A plastic surface 34 may be bonded to the foam rubher body so as to firmly seat a relatively rigid supporting arch 36 thereon.

Referring once again to FIGS. 1 and 2, it will be observed that the supporting arch 36 is made of an elongated strip of suitable material such as metal and includes longitudinally a curved portion 38 adapted to surround the head of the patient. A pair of base portions 40 extend laterally from the ends of the longitudinally curved portion 38 of the arch. The base portions, 40 as more clearly seen in FIGS. 2 and 5, are transversely curved so as to be properly seated on the shoulder saddles. Each base portion of the arch includes a pair of spaced adjustment slots 42 through which screw fastening elements 44 extend from the shoulder saddles. Wing nuts 46 threadedly mounted on the screw elements thereby firmly hold the arch 36 on the shoulder saddles. It will also be noted that the orthopedic straps extend between the adjustment slots 42 over the shoulder saddles and below the base portions 40 so as to be clamped to the saddles.

The longitudinally curved portion 38 of the arch is provided with a pair of longitudinally spaced adjustment slots 48 as more clearly seen in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4. A wing nut fastener 50 extends through each of the adjustment slots 48 for clamping a pair of suspension hook elements 52 at an adjusted location. Each hook element mounts a roller 54 as shown in FIG. 4 about which a loop 56 extends, each loop being made of an elastic material secured to the opposite end portions of a flexible chin support loop 58 as more clearly seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

As more clearly seen in FIG. 7, the upper end portions of the chin support 58 from which the elastic loops 56 extend, mount pivot pin elements 60 to which the opposite ends of a second flexible support loop 62 are pivotally connected. While the flexible chin support 158 extends forwardly of the arch 36 as shown in FIG. 2, the flexible support 62 extends rearwardly thereof to engage the rear portion of the head adjacent the neck. Thus, both flexible supports 58 and 62 are pivotally suspended from the pivot pins 60 which in turn are yieldably suspended by the clastic loops 56 from the adjustably located hooks 52. The lower ends of the loops 56 are provided with female snap fasteners '64 adapted to engage mating male snap fastener formations on the pivot pins 60 as shown in FIG. 7. Each loop may be provided with a second female snap fastener 64 as shown in FIG. 1 in order to reduce the length of the flexible loop if desired.

It will be apparent from the foregoing, that the shoulder saddles when comfortably positioned on the shoulders of a patient may be tightened in interconnected relation to each other by the fastener assemblies 24. The support arch 36 may then be adjusted to an upright position and firmly secured by the wing nut fasteners 46 to t the shoulder saddles. With the arch 36 properly mounted, the position of the flexible pivot suspensions for the chin and head supports 58 and 62 may be adjusted to a de sired location and locked in position by the wing nuts 50. Once the flexible supports are in desired positions, they may be interconnected in spaced relation below the pivotal suspension means by a pair of buckled straps 6 6 as more clearly seen in FIG. 2 in order to firmly hold the flexible supports on the head of the patient.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention. to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A cervical traction device for immobilizing the head and neck of a person relative to the shoulders comprising a pair of shoulder saddles, means interconnecting the saddles in overlapping relation to each other, a relatively rigid supporting arch mounted on the saddles adapted to surround the head, a pair of flexible supports adapted to engage the head forwardly and rearwardly of the arch, and means for pivotally suspending said flexible supports from the arch, straps interconnecting said flexible supports in spaced relation below the pivotal suspending means, said arch including an elongated strip having a longitudinally curved portion to which the suspending means is connected and a pair of base portions secured to the shoulder saddles, said base portions being transversely curved, each of said base portions being provided with. a pair of adjustment slots extending transversely thereof, fastener means extending from the shoulder pad structures through each of said slots and orthopedic straps clamped to the shoulder saddles between the slots of the base portions, said suspending means including a pair of hooks secured to the arch in spaced relation to each other, elastic loops secured to opposite ends of one of the flexible supports and extending through the hooks, and pivot means mounted by said elastic loops to which opposite end portions of the other of the flexible supports are connected.

2'. The combination of claim 1 wherein said shoulder saddles include laterally spaced front portions and rear portions overlapping each other, said interconnecting means extending from one of the shoulder saddles through lateral adjustment slots formed in the rear portion of the other of the shoulder saddles.

3. A cervical traction device for immobilizing the head and neck of a person relative to the shoulders comprising a pair of shoulder saddles, means interconnecting the saddles in overlapping relation to each other, a relatively rigid supporting arch mounted on the saddles adapted to surround the head, a pair of flexible supports adapted to engage the head forwardly and rearwardly of the arch, and means for pivo-tally suspending said flexible supports from the arch, said arch including an elongated strip having a longitudinally curved portion to which the suspending means is connected and a pair of base portions secured to the shoulder saddles, said base portions being. transversely curved, each of said base portions being provided with a pair of adjustment slots extending transversely of the strip, fastener means extending fro-m the shoulder saddles through each of said slots and orthopedic straps clamped to the shoulder saddles between the slots of the base portions, said suspending means including a pair of hooks secured to the arch in spaced relation to each other, elastic loops secured to opposite ends of one of the flexible supports and extending through the hooks, and pivot means mounted by said elastic loops to which opposite end portions of the other of the flexible supports are connected.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said shoulder saddles include laterally spaced front portions and rear portions overlapping each other, said interconnecting means extending from one of the shoulder saddles through lateral adjustment slots formed in the rear portion of the other of the shoulder saddles.

5. A cervical traction device for immobilizing the head and neck of a person relative to the shoulders, said device comprising a pair of shoulder pad structures for positioning on the shoulders at opposite sides of the head, a relatively rigid downwardly opening support arch including upstanding opposite side portions interconnected at their upper ends by means of an upper transverse portion extending therebetween, said arch being disposed over said shoulder pad structures with the lower ends of its opposite side portions attached to and supported from said shoulder pad structures, a pairv of suspension members carried by the upper portions of the opposite side portions, first and second upwardly and forwardly and upwardly and rearwardly opening generally U-shaped head and chin loops, respectively, said loops including pairs of corresponding ends disposed adjacent the corresponding side portions of the arch, connecting means operatively connecting said pairs of corresponding ends to the corresponding suspension members, whereby said loops are supported from said arch by the connections of said corresponding ends thereof with said arch side portions, said shoulder pad structures defining saddles including laterally spaced front portions and rear portions overlapping each other, said interconnecting means extending from one of the shoulder saddles through lateral adjustment slots formed in the rear portion of the other of the shoulder saddles.

6. A cervical traction device for immobilizing the head and neck of a person relative to the shoulders, said device comprising a pair of shoulder pad structures for positioning on the shoulders at opposite sides of the head, a relatively rigid downwardly opening support arch including upstanding opposite side portions interconnected at their upper ends by means of an upper transverse portion extending therebetween, said arch being disposed over said shoulder pad structures with the lower ends of its opposite side portions attached to and supported from said shoulder pad structures, a pair of suspension members carried by the upper portions of the opposite side portions, first and second upwardly and forwardly and upwardly and rearwardly opening generally U-shaped head and chin loops, respectively, said loops including pairs of corresponding ends disposed adjacent the corresponding side portions of the arch, connecting means operatively connecting said pairs of corresponding ends to the corresponding suspension members, whereby said loops are supported from said arch by the connections of said corresponding ends thereof with said arch side portions, said lower ends including oppositely outwardly directed base portions secured to said pad structures, said base portions being transversely curved, each of said base portions being provided with a pair of adjustment slots extending transversely thereof, fastener means extending from the shoulder pad structures through each of said slots and orthopedic straps clamped to the shoulder saddles between the slots of the base portions.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said connecting means includes means for pivotally supporting said pairs of corresponding ends of said loops from said arch side portions.

8. The combination of claim 6 wherein said arch transverse portion includes downwardly curving opposite ends and said side portions include inwardly curving upper ends merging into said downwardly curving transverse portion opposite ends.

9. The combination of claim 6 wherein said suspension References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1847 Knapp l2875 12/1956 Simmons l2-887 OTHER REFERENCES The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, April 1943, vol. XXV, N0. 2, page 473.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner J. YASKO, Assistant Examiner 

